We investigate the polarization state of x-ray beams in collisionally pumped lasers, and compare our results to experimental data on Ne-like Ge lines. The plasma polarization properties are studied in terms of the orientation and alignment, using irreducible tensors of the density matrix. It is shown that the elastic electron-ion collisions tend to equalize the quantum-states populations of each level, and then lessen or even eliminate the polarization of the medium, that is induced by the x-ray beam.